Source: John D. Kisch/Separate Cinema Archive / Getty
Will Smith and the Oscar boycott has been the hot topic of discussion lately. But did you know that this year’s Oscars aren’t the first awards show Smith has decided to boycott?
In 1989 Smith and his musical partner, DJ Jazzy Jeff, decided to boycott the Grammy Awards, despite their nomination for Best Rap Performance. The duo ended up winning the first ever Best Rap Performance Grammy with their hit “Parents Just Don’t Understand.”
In an old interview with Entertainment Tonight, Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff explained their reasoning behind the boycott. They boycotted due to the fact the newly added rap categories were not being televised. Smith stated, “We don’t have the problem with the Grammy as an award or the Grammys as an institution, we just had a problem with the 1989 design of the awards show.”
In 1990, the Grammys decided to televise the Best Rap Performance Group. Since their boycott, the Grammys have aired at least one rap category every year, except in 2012 and 2015.
We will wait and see if Jada and Will’s Oscar boycott will influence the Oscar nominations next year. You can watch the 1989 interview and read more on the story here.
